East Asian studies undergraduate and graduate students can find relevant opportunities in many different fields and areas. The United States Government, museums, Non-governmental organizations and think tanks are common internship employers.

Students also have resources and assistance finding and applying to internships through the Life Design Lab.

East Asian Studies 2023 Summer Research Internship Program

East Asian Studies is launching the 2023 Summer Research Internship Program. The program will:

  • Provide EAS majors and minors with hands-on opportunities to work with researchers and experts (within or outside academia) that will be valuable for their professional development.
  • Strengthen research skills and competencies.

The United States Government Opportunities

National Security Agency

The National Security Agency internship program allows students to learn more about American intelligence and security within specialized fields including:

  • Computer science, computer/electrical engineering, and information systems
  • Mechanical/civil engineering and architecture
  • Mathematics
  • Political science, international affairs, and criminal justice

The NSA also offers the Summer Language Program in which students are apprenticed experienced language analysts.

Senate and House of Representatives

The United States Senate and House of Representatives offer college internship opportunities in Washington D.C. Students gain experience on the Hill and learn about policy making and civic engagement. Internships with elected officials are also offered throughout the country in district offices.

State Department

The State Department offers unpaid internships with the opportunity to work in U.S. embassies and consulates throughout the world including Asia, as well as in various bureaus located in Washington, D.C. and at Department offices around the United States. This program is designed to provide substantive learning experiences in a foreign affairs environment.

Museums

Freer Gallery of Art & Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

The Freer Gallery of Art & Arthur M. Sackler Gallery offers a wide range of internships and fellowships within Asian art.

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center Internship

Interns at the APA Center have the opportunity to develop a research project related to Asian Pacific Americans and grounded in their own scholarly interests. Students with a strong interest in Asian American history, politics, and culture and/or museum studies should consider this opportunity.  In-semester and summer internships are available.

Walters Art Gallery

The Walters Art Museum offers several fellowship and internship opportunities for undergraduates and graduate students with demonstrated interest in art history or museum studies and has a good collection of Asian art.

Non-governmental organizations and think tanks

American Enterprise Institute

AEI offers students internships that allow them to work directly with scholars, economists, political scientists, and foreign policy specialists conducting research on public policy questions. Internships include opportunities related to economics, health care, poverty studies, politics and public opinion, government relations, media relations, and communications.

Asian American Justice Center

AAJC provides unpaid internship positions for students interested in gaining first-hand experience in civil rights advocacy. Interns are expected to commit to 16-20 hours per week during the winter/spring or summer semester, though specific start and end dates are flexible and weekly hours will be set upon selection.

Asia Society

The Asia Society is an educational organization “dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States in a global context.” It offers unpaid internships in its DC and NY office in a range of fields.

The Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS)

APAICS provides internships for Asian American & Pacific Islander undergraduate students in congressional offices, allowing students to increase their experience with public policy and service.

Brookings Institution

Brookings Institution provides internship opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students in areas including economic studies, foreign policy, global economy and development, governance studies, and metropolitan policy.

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

The Carnegie-Tsinghua Young Ambassadors Program provides interns the chance to learn about key foreign policy issues by interacting with and supporting senior Chinese and international scholars, experts, and working on the institute’s activities and operations. Interns are an integral part of Carnegie’s growing global network.

Center for Strategic & International Studies

CSIS offers full-time and part-time internships for undergraduates, advanced students, and recent graduates who are interested in gaining practical experience in public policy. Interns will participate in programs offered by the Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy, the in-house leadership development program at CSIS.

Council on Foreign Relations

Interns are paid a competitive hourly wage while gaining valuable experience through exposure to leading foreign policy experts and professional development training.

Heritage Foundation

The Heritage Foundation offers the Young Leaders Program, providing a full educational program on working at the think tank.

Japan-America Society of Washington D.C.

Internships allow students to work on Japan-related content, managerial and administrative tasks, and gain insight into the nonprofit sector.

Korea Economic Institute

Interns are given exposure to the issues and major players in the field of Korea-US relations and gain experience in event planning, data collection, economic analysis, and professional development writing.

National Association of Japan-America Studies

NAJAS internships are designed for students interested in international relations, East Asian studies, and nonprofit management.

Nichibei Connect

Funded and managed by the Japan-US Friendship Commission, this website includes opportunities for students interested in careers related to Japan.

Radio Free Asia

Radio Free Asia provides internships in Korean broadcast journalism, Mandarin broadcast journalism, and technical operations.

Sasakawa Peace Foundation

Sasakawa USA offers internships related to US-Japan relations supporting their communications and programs staff or research fellows.

Stimson Center

The Stimson Center provides internships that allow students to discover how nonprofit organizations can contribute to the understanding of issues in international peace and security. The Center offers internships specifically related to East Asia.

US-Asia Institute

The US-Asia Institute offers internships where students play an active role in organizing educational programming, overseas congressional staff delegations, forums, receptions, and diplomatic off-the-record briefings.

U.S.-Japan Council

This internship is designed for those hoping to gain experience in the programmatic, digital and strategic marketing and/or nonprofit fields. USJC’s internship program offers outstanding opportunities for college students, graduate students and graduates who are interested in U.S.-Japan relations.

Wilson Center

The Wilson Center hosts interns and research assistants that work on programs such as the Cold War International History Project, the North Korea International Documentation Project, and the Nuclear Proliferation International History Project.